Magazine



J. B. WALKER April 3, 1951 MAGAZINE Filed April 30, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 1N VEN TOR. Josef/2H 14m/'52,

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um wm L! um NN ,4free/vivi April 3, 1951 J. B.- WALKER MAGAZINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 30, 1945 itil mm.. uw mm mm 4 n @GE INVENTOR. dsEp/L/. ,W44 x52,

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mm. mm Nw l III Y Patented Apr. 3, 1951 .UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE -3 .Claims.

.This ,inventionrelates to 4magazines adapted to .encase a `pairgof reels .for :supporting `and moving 'a Lsteel tape or Wire adjacent ari-'opening in the magazine through which a magnetic :recording .or transcribing iurt may .be inserted 4for operative engagement with the recording medium.

ILMag-netic recording units of thepriorart comprise 'generally a .pair of reels, the tape Ior vWire recording fmedium, carried thereby, being drawn Yin -tautfcondition from one reel to the :other ina ilatfreach With Which a recording head Vconsisting nftwoior more Amagnetic pole Ipieces are engaged. The magnetic polesrmaybe disposed in pairs,'both -at'ionerside of the medium or on opposite sides, in opposed or staggered relationship depending upon'th'etype 'of the equipment; but whatever the arrangement in particular uni-ts, the `adjustment is critical. vacter, the tape'or Wire is -removable from the recording nnit in order 'that magnetic Arecords impressed l'upon other recording media may be `'transcrifbec'i'or other records produced. Accordtingly, itis desirable "that separate Vreels for each 'recording medium be provided, and, `further, 'tirati-the .tape and `reels `be adapted for facile assembly as a unit with the recording andtranscrib- 'ing head. l

'fIn a unit contemplatingthe arrangement of the pole 'piecesofthe recording, transcribing or erasing magnets on opposite ,sides of the tape, ,guides should be provided for .thepole pieces .and

, magnets toassureproper `alignment and `engagementwth the tapeinforder' to avoid .injury Ato the .latter and enable the positioning of these parts Ywith facility. Asthe magnets and their poles. are most easily shifted into engagement with :the tape-.from .a iateral direction, the tape :Should beheld `rrnin a plane interposedbetvveen ithe .opposedfpo'les as the latter are guided '-into position.

It is a general object of the present invention `to provide a magazine for permanentlyjhousing "apair uof'reels in rotatable relationship, in com- 'liination with guidefmeans for a tape carried 'by provision `of..agate adapted for Vmovable association with rthe reel .casing for the control of the opening in the flatterfand toencase .the reach of tapeextending-by the opening, in a protective` In a 4preferred `assembly of this ohary housing while the kpole `,pieces and magnets are out of contact withthe tape.

More specically, Ait is an `obj ect of the upresent invention to provide means associated with lthe gate to draw taut thereach'ofv tape projectingad jacent the opening in the casing in a predeter- -smined'plane operable coincident lWith'the opening ci thegate and preparatory to the Vreception of the magnetic recording head in operative relationship therewith.

vStill another object is to provide trip mechanism ,actuated by means :carried by -the recording head unit for releasing the tape -retainers from engagement With the tape, incident to placement .of the pole pieces in operative relationship with .the tape-whereby the latteramay be moved freely in contact with the ypole pieces in response to the application of power to :the take-up reel. g

Another object is to lprovideia/nauxiliary latching .device for the ,gate -to prevent .its being .closed when the tape is'engaged` bythe .gatemechanismJ in combination withc-manuallyractuated means to release the latchand returnathe tape-engaging elements of the .gate assembly .to inoperative position until the gate is :again closed, .the mechanism being 1re-set incident to closing the gate.

Numerous other structural features andcorresponding advantages-Will be Iobvious to `those of skill in the art upon an examination .of the following description read in the light of the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a sectional View through the magazine, illustrating-one embodiment of my invention, and showing, particularly, `the gate -of the apparatus in closed position; l Fig. 2 is a sectional View similar to Fig. 1, i1-

lustrating the mechanism in position with the gate open;

Eig.. 3 is a sectional `View taken on'` lines -3-3 of k2;

Referring to the `dra-Wings more in detail, the

Inumerals o"fWhich indicate simi-lar part/)s throughnu"y .the several views, I0 designates, .in the preferred embodiment of Figs. '11303, acasing v'having aflat top il. The cross-sectional dimension of the casing is sufficient to accommodate a pair of flat reels I2 adapted to carry in coiled condition the magnetic recording medium which, in the embodiment illustrated, comprises a thin steel tape I3. Reels I2 are mounted at opposite ends of casing I9 upon spindles I4 journalled in bearings (not shown) carried by the opposed walls of the casing. One end'of each spindle i4 is formed with a mortise I5 for operative engagement with` a tenon on the end of a drive shaft of a motor (not shown) of the recording unit with which the magazine is removably associated when in use. Thus, either reel I2 may be employed as a take-up reel to draw the tape from the other reel.

The tape i3 passes over a pair of idler pulleys I3 carried rotatably adjacent the underside of top II at opposite ends, respectively, of the casing. One of idler pulleys l5 is journalled on a shaft I'I having its ends mounted in a stationary frame I8 of a pair of frames, I8 and I9, rectangular in cross-,section and supported respectively in contiguous relation with the underside of top I I of the casing by a pair of angle brackets 29, secured to opposite side walls of the magazine. rihe stationary frame I3, located at one end of casing I9, extends in the opposite direction to a point adjacent one edge of a rectangular cutout or opening 2| formed in the top II and adjoining side walls of casing I0 for the reception of a recording head, as is hereinafter more in detail described. The idler pulleys I6 normally support tape I3 in close proximity with the underside of the top of the two frames I3 and I9 through both of which the tape extends, with a reach of the latter projecting through the upper part of opening 2i so as to provide suflicient room below tape 'I3 in the opening for the accommodation of the magnets and poles which are to engage theunder side of the tape. An angular pressure bar 22 is pivoted on a pin 23 in the stationary frame I8 for movement in a vertical arc, and is normally urged into contact with tape I3 by a helical 'compression spring 24 supported beneath bar 22 on a seat 25 carried by the frame.

The frame I9 is slidable between the angle bracket 29 therebelow and top II of casing I3, from a position displaced from opening 2| in the casing to a closed position abutting against the stationary frame I8. Thus, with the sliding gate I9 closed, tape I3 is completely encased and protected against fracture when not in use. The operation ofgate I9 is controlled manually by means of a control pin 2B having a knurled head 21 projecting through a slot 28 in top Il of the casing, the ends ofwhich slot 28 correspond with the limitsiof, movement of the gate in either direction,

Magazines of the character here contemplated are adapted to be clamped to recording apparatus. 'whereby the recording head, movable upon guides', maybe -sw-ung through the opening 2| in casing'eand releasably engage the tape. To this end, "I provide a pair of parallel transverse sleeves ZSfeXtending through opposite walls of the casing adjacent opposite ends of the latter for the accommodation of guide pins (not shown) of the recording unit. 4I indicates the knurled head of a lock screw extending through the casing and adapt-ed to be threaded into the supporting plate (not shown) of the recording unit. Whe-n so-associated with the recording unit, casing I0 is-mounted with opening ZI disposed to receive the recording head,

Due to the fact that steel tape or wire of the type best suited for magnetic recording is extremely thin, there is a tendency for such media toy sag, coil, or twist, unless held in taut condition. Itis of course highly important that the reach of the tape adjacent opening 2I be held rmly in the same plane with respect to the recording unit each time the magazine is clamped in position, to prevent the movement of the poles of the magnetic head from breaking the tape.

In order to obviate this result, I provide a pressure bar 30, pivotally carried on a fulcrum pin 3| journalled in the opposing Walls of the slidable gate frame I9. Bar 39 is normally held against a stop 42 in spaced relation with the under side of tape I3 by a tension spring 32 connecting the opposite end of bar 39 with the top of frame I9, but is movable in response to means about to be described into 'contact with the tape so as to urge the latter against the top of the gate frame I9.` vAn actuating lever 33 is fulcrumed on a transverse pin 34 having its ends secured in opposing walls of the casing, and with the gate in opened position is located beneath bar 30, a por- 'tion of theframe I9 being cut away as indicated at 35 toaccommodate pin 34. The end of lever 1 33 nearest adjacent the opening is normally held `in a position slightly elevated with respect to the lhorizontal by means of a coiled spring 36 `encircling pin 34 and engaging the lever and the bottom of the sliding frame I9. Lever 33 is limited in this movement by a stop 3I, disposed beneath the opposite end of the lever, and secured to the casing. The elevated end of lever 33 -projects slightly into opening 2| in the casing for a purpose hereinafter described. A screw 38 is threaded through lever 33 adjacent its elevated end to contact the under surface of a spring cam strip 39 having one end riveted or otherwise suitably secured to the under side of bar 3G adjacent the point of pivoting of the latter, Strip 39 eX- tends toward the opening 2I in the casing in the plane of bar 30, but diverges downwardly from the bar in a wide arc, and adjacent its end is bent sharply toward the bar so as to contact the free end of the latter, normally supported by stop 31. In operation, when gate I9 is shifted from closed to open position, the spring strip 39 is moved into contact with the upper end of screw v38, properly adjusted. Downward displacement of screw 38 is resisted by coil spring 36, and accordingly bar 39 and strip 39 are swung upwardly into contact with tape I3 as the curved portion of the strip rides upon the upper end of screw 38. With proper adjustment of the screw and proportioning of the length of the spring strip relative to the degree of movement of gate I9,

the contact of the bar with tape I3 occurs as the gate nears fully opened position. It will be understood that as the coiled spring 36 is of greater strength than the spring 32, the tension of the latter is overcome in effecting the operation just described.

It will thus be seen'that the bars 22 and 30 c ooperate in urging tape I3 into a plane parallel and adjacent the undersurface of the top of the respective frames I8 and I9, and further that the nal opening movement of gate I9 results in dragging ybar 30 in frictional contact. with the tape. As the portion of tape I3 at the opposite s''c'l' of opening 2I fromgate I9 is normally held against longitudinal movement by the engagement of bar 22 therewith, the frictional drag on the tape by bar 3G at the conclusion of the open-1 ing movement of the gate is effective to draw taut the reach of the tape extending opposite 7 as to draw 'the tape taut and thereby facilitate engagement of the recording head and, particularly, position the pole'pieces in contact With oppositesides of'the tape'as hereinabovewreferred to in reference to the embodiment of Figs. lto 3 inclusive. It Will be observed, however, from reference tov Fig. 5 that the opening of the gate permits springs 62 to project slide 58 forwardly and pawl 69 into contact with the peripheral edge of the hub of dog 56 at a point below the notch 6l. When the gate is opened, the dogs 49 and 56 are 'so arranged with respect" to' the opening that they may be engaged and lifted from contact with'tape I3 by'a pair `of'dovvnwardly curved pins 69, comprising a part of'the recording head assembly, as indicated in Fig. 6. The ends of pins 66 are disposed to project slightly below the respective dogs when the casing is arranged for assembly with the 'recording unit; Movementof the casing into operative'I relationshipwith the unit thus projects the pins beneath the' dogs causing the latter toride up onto the pins so as to displace the dogs from the tape coincident with nal adjustment of the casing. The elevation of the dog 56 is eiective to 'u align notch 6| with `pawl `6i) which' isengaged therein under pressure of spring 62. With the recording head in position, tape I3 may accordingly be moved freely-through the opening between pole pieces 69' for recording, erasing, or

transcribing a record thereon.

Removal of the recording head from opening 45 in casing 44 likewise removes the pins 69 from under-the dogs, and dog 49 is permitted to return to a position bearing against the tape in response to tension of spring 5i. However, pawl 6D engaged in notch Si of dog E6 resists the tension of spring 5l and maintains dog 56 in an elevated position, enabling closure of the gate 52 without injury to thetape. Abutment of the end of slide 58 against the depending stop Ell of stationary frame Q6 at the conclusion of the closing movement' of gate 52 displaces pawl 6B from' notch 6I in dog 56 and permits the return of the dog against the tape to complete the cycle of operation, whereupon the parts will have been returned to original positions, as illustrated in Fig. 4;

If gate 52 is openedyeither completely or partially, without the insertion ofV the recording head and the pins 69, it will be observed that pawl 6B will not have been engagedwith dog 56,' and the latter will remain in contact with tape i3. Accordingly, in order to enable the operator to open the gate, either for purposes of inspection yor otherwise, and again close it without the insertion of the lrecording head into theopening -in the casing, dog 5t may be elevated from the tape by lifting the rod 66 manually to a degree .sumcient to engage pawl d@ in notch 6| ofthe dog. Should gate 52 be inadvertently closed without releasing -dog 56, there would be a tendency'to buckle the tape. Accordingly, I providea ratchet 1B rigidly attached'to the side of casing `4"4, which projects through aout-out in the gate frame. A pawl 1I, carried on the end' of a lever '12 fulcrumed in the frame, is adapted to engage the teeth of ratchet 16 when dog 5@ is in tape-contacting position, and ride freely over the ratchet as gate 52 is opened, but preventhclosing movement of the gate The opposite end oflever 12 is connected to control rod 66 whereby elevation of the control rod isueiective to disengage pavvl 'Hfrcm ratchet lil. Thus, while the pawl and ratchet do not restrict opening of the gate, move- 8 ment in the opposite Adirection is prevented a long as dog 56 engages the tape. It will thus be'seen'that I have provided a magazine for permanently 'housing a pair o f reels carrying a length of tape or wire with which a magnetic recording, erasingv or transcribing unit may be operatively associated by insertion through an opening in the magazine so as to obviate the necessity of removing the reel-s from the magazine or rewinding the tape upon separate reels, andlfurther that the apparatus includes a gate for the opening in the magazine adapted to normally complete the protective encasement of the record medium when not in operation, Aincorporating mechanism for supporting, guiding, and for drawing the tape or wire taut in a position most conducive to facile assembly and utility with a recorder or a transcriber. In

the claims the term tape is used to designate any flexible element, such as steel wire, vcapable of luse as a magnetic recording medium. l

` hile I have shown and described but two embodinients of myinvention it will be understood ,that numerous changes l maybe made in size, shape, design and lnumber of the various parts, thatthe casing is merely illustrative of a, device for housing the reels, tape and associated mechanism, that only one wall of the casing may be cut away to provide an opening in but one side of the magazine for the reception of the recording head, and that such opening may be provided inlany part of the casing in order to adapt the magazine to recording and transcribing unitsof different types, suitable pulleys being provided f to direct the tape, adjacent such opening, and

that the various features of my invention, while interdependent in the complete assembly, may be utilized independently, without departing from the scope orny invention as defined in the appended claims.

`What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: h

, 1 In a `devicemoi 4the character described, a casing having an opening therein, means including a pair of reels within the casinglto supportP and'v move a length of tape adjacent said opening, a gate comprising a frame telescoped over said tape and slidable to and from a. position opposite said opening to enclose the llength of tape at said opening in a protective sheath. and means, operable in response to movement oi" said gate from closed position toward open position, to draw said length of tape taut.

" J2v. In a device of the character described, a casing having an opening therein, means includ- 'ing a pairwof reels to support and move a length ofwtape adjacent said opening for engagement by a rrecording head of a magnetic recording unit, guide means for said tape at opposite sides of saidopening, separable spring-pressed means to urge reaches of said tape at opposite sides of the opening against said guide means, releasing means to displace said last-named means from said tape to permit the latter to be moved freely vfrom reel to reel, a gate movable into said opening to substantially close the latter, and means to p revent closing movement of said gate While said spring-pressed means are operatively enf gaged with said tape.

3. In a deviceof the character described, a lcasing 4having an opening therein, means including a pair of reels within the casing to support and movea length of tape adjacent said opening, a gate comprising a, frame telescoped over said tape and slidable to and from a position opposite 9 said opening to enclose the length of tape at said opening in a protective sheath, and means, operable in response to movement of said gate from closed toward open position, to apply tension to the reach of said tape opposite the opening.

JOSEPH B. WALKER.

REFERENCES CITED Number Number UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Hornauer Apr. 10, 1928 De Vinna Nov. 25, 1930 Becker Sept. 26, 1939 Morsbach et a1 Oct. 10, 1939 Bolsey May 18, 1943 Wilson et a1. Dec. 25', 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Germany July 21, 1936 

